In-Person Courses

Coordinated through DHS Protective Security Advisors (PSA), State Homeland Security Officials, and training offices, OBP courses educate federal, state, local, tribal, and territorial participants—such as municipal officials and emergency managers, state and local law enforcement and other emergency services, security staff, critical infrastructure owners and operators, and private partners—on strategies to prevent, protect against, respond to, and mitigate bombing incidents. For more information or to request OBP counter-improvised explosive device (IED) direct delivery in-person training, please contact CISA Central by emailing central@cisa.dhs.gov or email OBPTraining@cisa.dhs.gov. OBP Training course offerings are listed below.

Bombing Prevention Awareness (AWR-348)

Description: The Bombing Prevention Awareness course provides an overview of improvised explosive devices (IEDs) and explosive effects, homemade explosives (HME), an introduction to the terrorist attack cycle, and the response to suspicious behaviors and items. The basic awareness is used to enhance bombing prevention measures.
Course Length: This is a one-day training covering the following topics:

- IED construction and classification

- IED explosives effects and mitigation

- HME and precursor awareness

- Introduction to a terrorist attack cycle

- Response to suspicious behaviors and items
Audience: This course is designed for groups up to 25 participants and is intended for audiences such as:

- Critical infrastructure owners and operators

- Public safety officers

- Emergency managers

- Security officers

- Law enforcement officials

- Private sector security professionals

Accreditation: 0.7 CEUs towards International Accreditors of Continuing Education Units (IACET) and 7 CEUs towards Police Officer Standards and Training (POST) if the student's state approves.
Recommended Prerequisites: None.

Download a printer-friendly fact sheet for Bombing Prevention Awareness (AWR-348).

To see if this class is being offered near you, click here.

To host for your organization, please fill out the training request form.

Homemade Explosives
Suspicious Behaviors and Items
Enhance bombing preventions

Vehicle-Borne IED (VBIED) Detection (PER-312)

Description: The VBIED Detection course provides participants with the knowledge and skills to successfully and safely inspect for, identify, and/or respond to vehicle-borne explosive threats.
Course Length: This is a one-day training covering the following topics:

- Vehicle-borne explosives threat overview

- Identifying vehicle-borne explosives hazards

- Assessment of vehicles and occupant behavior

- Vehicle inspection demonstration and activity
Audience: This course is designed for groups up to 25 participants and is intended for audiences such as:

- Critical infrastructure owners and operators

- Public safety officers

- Emergency managers

- Security officers

- Law enforcement officials

- Private sector security professionals

Accreditation: 0.7 CEUs towards IACET and 7 CEUs towards POST if the student's state approves.
Recommended Prerequisites:

- AWR-333: IED Construction and Classification

- AWR-337: IED Explosive Effects and Mitigation

- AWR-338: HME and Precursor Awareness

Download a printer friendly fact sheet for VBIED Detection (PER-312).

To see if this class is being offered near you, click here.

To host for your organization, please fill out the training request form.

Vehicle-borne explosive threats
Knowledge of threats
Safely inspect for explosive threats

Protective Measures (PER-336)

Description: The Protective Measures course provides the foundational knowledge to identify risks and vulnerabilities to a facility, venue, or event and identify various types of protective measures to mitigate an IED threat. Participants apply concepts introduced throughout the course with hands-on activities.
Course Length: This is a one-day training covering the following topics:

- Overview of explosives effects

- Identifying risks

- Protective measures

- Determining the appropriate protective measures

- Special event and public gathering security
Audience: This course is designed for groups up to 25 participants and is intended for audiences such as:

- Critical infrastructure owners and operators

- Public safety officers

- Emergency managers

- Security officers

- Law enforcement officers

- Private sector security professionals

Accreditation: 0.7 CEUs towards IACET and 7 CEUs towards POST if the student's state approves.
Recommended Prerequisites:

- AWR-337: IED Explosive Effects and Mitigation

- IS-156: Building Design for Homeland Security for Continuity of Operations

- IS-15.b: Special Events Contingency Planning for Public Safety Agencies

Download a printer-friendly fact sheet for the Protective Measures (PER-336).

To see if this class is being offered near you, click here.

To host for your organization, please fill out the training request form.

Identify risks
Apply Concepts
Hands-on Activities

IED Search Procedures (PER-339)

Description: The IED Search Procedures course introduces to basic, low risk, search protocols. It provides participants the information needed to create a search plan for their facility or special event and allows them to perform IED searches of a facility, an area, and a route.
Course Length: This is a one-day training covering the following topics:

- Preparing for a search

- Types of searches

- Facility search workshop

- Area search workshop

- Route search workshop

- Search assessment
Audience: This course is designed for groups up to 25 participants and is intended for audiences such as:

- Critical infrastructure owners and operators

- Public safety officers

- Emergency managers

- Security officers

- Law enforcement officers

- Private sector security professionals

Accreditation: 0.7 CEUs towards IACET and 7 CEUs towards POST if the student's state approves.
Recommended Prerequisites:

- AWR-333: IED Construction and Classification

- AWR-337: IED Explosive Effects and Mitigation

- AWR-338: Homemade Explosives (HME) and Precursor Awareness

Download a printer-friendly fact sheet for IED Search Procedures (PER-339).

To see if this class is being offered near you, click here.

To host for your organization, please fill out the training request form.

Learner to basic
Low risk search protocols
IED searches

Surveillance Detection (SD) for Bombing Prevention (PER-346)

Description: The SD for Bombing Prevention course provides public safety and security professionals fundamental knowledge and skills to recognize and respond appropriately to hostile surveillance at facilities and planned and unplanned events.
Course Length: This is a three-day training covering the following topics:

- Hostile operations

- Vulnerability assessment

- Hostile surveillance requirements

- Surveillance detection requirements and fundamentals

- Activity reporting and response

- Compromise and deployment

Audience: This course is designed for groups up to 25 participants and is intended for audiences such as:

- Critical infrastructure owners and operators

- Public safety officers

- Emergency managers

- Security officers

- Law enforcement officials

- Private sector security professionals

Accreditation: 2.0 CEUs towards IACET and 20 CEUs towards POST if the student's state approves.
Recommended Prerequisites:

- FEMA IS-914: Surveillance Awareness: What You Can Do

Download a printer-friendly fact sheet for SD for Bombing Prevention (PER-346).

To see if this class is being offered near you, click here.

To host for your organization, please fill out the training request form.

Public Safety
Security Professional
Hostile Surveillance

Bomb-Making Materials Awareness Program (BMAP) Community Liaison (MGT-450)

Description: The BMAP Community Liaison course prepares participants to conduct outreach in their communities by familiarizing them with explosive precursor chemicals and components found in common household products used to make bombs. It also provides them the ability to recognize suspicious purchasing behaviors, and access BMAP resources.
Course Length: This is a one-day training covering the following topics:

- Commercially available products used in homemade explosives & IEDs

- Recognizing & reporting suspicious purchasing behaviors

- Conducting outreach & available resources
Audience: This course is designed for groups up to 25 participants and is intended for audiences such as:

- Community liaisons

- Community outreach

Accreditation: 0.7 CEUs towards IACET and 7 CEUs towards POST if the student's state approves.
Recommended Prerequisites: None.

Download a printer-friendly fact sheet for the BMAP Community Liaison (MGT-450).

To see if this class is being offered near you, click here.

To host for your organization, please fill out the training request form.

Bomb Threat Management (BTM) Planning (MGT-451)

Description: The BTM Planning course provides participants foundational knowledge on the DHS risk management process and bomb threat management planning. It gives participants opportunity to apply this knowledge to develop a bomb threat management plan.
Course Length: This is a one-day training covering the following topics:

- DHS risk management process

- BTM plan roles and responsibilities

- BTM plan components and development

- Capstone activity: drafting a BTM plan
Audience: This course is designed for groups up to 25 participants and is intended for audiences such as:

- Critical infrastructure owners and operators

- Public safety officers

- Emergency managers

- Security officers

- Law enforcement officials

- Private sector security professionals

Accreditation: 0.7 CEUs towards IACET and 7 CEUs towards POST if the student's state approves.
Recommended Prerequisites: None.

Download a printer-friendly fact sheet for the BTM Planning (MGT-451).

To see if this class is being offered near you, click here.

To host for your organization, please fill out the training request form.

Risk Management Process
Bomb Threat Management
Foundational Knowledge